Friday, January 29, 2010

LUSH and Aveda Spa Review

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Wow, wow, wow... where have I been?! Well, since my last post, I got a stomach virus and school started back so I have been somewhere between running around like a chicken with her head cut off, puking, and lying around like a lazy cow. But... I am back! I am going to try to get a video up on YouTube much more frequently, and update my blog more frequently.

First up - my LUSH giveaway contest ends in three and a half hours and I am so excited to see who wins! This has been really fun and I can't wait to do another giveaway!

On to the good stuff - I only got two things for myself when I went to LUSH... why? Mainly because everything, besides these two products, I wanted, they were stinking out of. The main LUSH store at Lenox was closed due to some stupid mall outage, so I went to the one inside of Macy's which is significantly smaller and didn't have as much stuff. Sad day!

The first product I got was the Flosty Gritter Bubble Bar, which I was VERY excited to try!


I've used this bubble bar twice, and have enough for two more baths, so I think that's a pretty good amount of baths for the price. I was a little disappointed that I didn't come out of the bath covered in glitter, but that's okay! The bubbles are sparkly so you really feel like a princess! The smell is a vanilla/lavender aroma and it's featured ingredient is Clary Sage. Clay Sage is useful in alleviating stress, exhaustion, and to alleviate different types of pain. I really do feel more relaxed after taking a Flosty Gritter bath... aaaah!

The second bubble bar I got was The Comforter Bubble Bar


The Comforter is a pretty good sized bar that I would say you would be able to get about five baths out of... depends on how you break it up. You can break up bigger chunks under the water, or smaller ones. It turns the water a nice, light pink shade and smells so, so amazing! It has a blackcurrant smell - it's very upbeat and fruity.

So, if you follow me on Twitter, I mentioned that I was going to get a Hydrotherm Massage from my local Aveda Spa. I've had their regular massages and the hot stone therapy massage, but I wanted to try the Hydrotherm because it sounded really cool. You lie face up for the entire, hour long massage while lying on a heated, water filled pad. Like a waterbed - but better! Your massage therapist massages you using the pressure of your own body and the movement of the water filled cushions to alleviate pain and stress.

My massage girl told me most people leave the heavy comforter off and just stay covered with the thin sheet and leave their undergarments on. It's really your preference. I don't like having any clothes on during a massage, but that's my preference. However, for this one since I was going to be lying face up the whole time I just took her suggestion and left my undergarments on. I - was - ROASTING! The water cushions are covered by a thin, silk like material and I found the temperature of the water to be a little too warm. I would suggest asking your spa about this and if you feel like you may be too hot, let them know you would like it a little cooler. The only place it was uncomfortable was on my lower legs, but that went away as the time went on. Overall, I liked the massage and I definitely liked it better than the hot stone therapy massage. It is a little different lying face up - you really get no back massage which is my favorite part, because I have some back issues. However, if you are pregnant, have been in an accident and it's painful to lie face down or turn over, or older, I think this is a wonderful alternative! If I had to describe it in one word, I would say - relaxing! Would I do it again? Maybe, but I prefer a more intense massage that can really concentrate on the pain in my back and work out the kinks. Lying on the water cushion is really heavenly as you're just floating, so to speak, and enjoying the massage. If you have any other questions, let me know!

I'm including a picture I found off of the internet... The water cushion pictured here is not covered, but mine was... I think it might be uncomfortable lying straight on the cushion - not to mention unsanitary!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

MAC Eyeshadow Haul

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So, I went to Atlanta last week and decided to try some MAC eyeshadows. i've used Bare Escentuals' eyeshadows for the past five years and I love them. They can be messy sometimes and that's about my only complaint. However, I have heard so much about MAC eyeshadows and their colors are so beautiful, I wanted to give them a try. I'm really happy with my choices - I've tried all of them so far and love every single one of them. I love the pigmentation, the no mess, the ease of applying and blending, and the staying power! With my mineral shadows, they would not last all day, but the MAC shadows do and that's a use plus for me! So, without further ado...

1. Mythology


I heard about lots of fallout with this one, but I didn't experience it. I think I need a denser brush to pick up more product though. This color is AMAZING! It's really unique and definitely makes your eyes stand out. Gorgeous.

2. Satin Taupe


This is a really pretty, shimmering taupe color - almost like a mushroom brown. I've used it for an all over lid color so far, but I can't wait to experiment with it more. It's a color that I think anyone could wear.

3. Corduroy


I got this instead of Handwritten, which is what I really wanted but both MAC stores I went to were out. It's a very nice, matte, neutral brown shade. You can apply it lightly or build it up for more intensity.

4. Phloof!


I knew I'd love this color... It's a wonderful base color as well as a highlighter for the brow bone and inner corner. I like that you can apply it under/over another color and it will give it a nice sheen. GORGEOUS!

So far, I love, love, love the MAC eyeshadows and of course, can't wait to buy more! I really like the price as well... of course $14 is expensive for eyeshadow, but that's what my mineral shadow costs so it's not like it's $25 like a NARS shadow. I'm curious to see how long these will last me... That'll be the true test - how often you have to repurchase.

Tiffany Blue Box KONAD Nails

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Aaaah, it's love at first polish! I used China Glaze For Audrey and KONAD special white with plate m59

Saturday, January 16, 2010

LUSH Giveaway

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Hey chickadees!

I am hosting a LUSH giveaway contest on my YouTube channel... Check it out and be sure to enter! It ends on January 22nd, 2010


The official rules are:
1. You must be 18 years old or over. If you're under 18, you must have your parents' permission
2. You must be subscriber and comment on the video, telling me why you want to win the giveaway
3. Winners will be chosen through random.org
4. The contest is open internationally

Saturday, January 9, 2010

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Eye of the Day:



I was drawn back to the Kohl's line up makeup, Flirt! and checked out their eyeshadows... they have a unique type of shadows that are a mousse... very cool! I LOVE the texture... so creamy, very blendable, long wearing, doesn't smudge - they have great colors! I picked out High Maintenance to test out the product. It's a deep purple with flecks of shimmer. You can layer these mousse shadows to be either a light eye look or very dramatic.

I used Bare Escentuals Nude Beach from lid to brow bone, Bare Escentuals' Queen Tiffany on the lid, up to the crease, and I foiled it. Foiling is a technique used with powder shadows - you wet the brush, dip it into the minerals, and apply - this gives a foiled, intense color. I then applied High Maintenance in the crease and blended it.





These retail for $12 each - I might go back and purchase some more, but I want to try out some MAC shadows when I go to Atlanta on Tuesday. Anyone have any good color recommendations?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Photo Tag!

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I was tagged by my sweet tPf buddy Swtest2Lips ... What you do is go into the first album in your photos, go to the 10th photo, post it here and describe it =) Here's mine...

This was taken about 7 years ago - the little angel is my cousin. This was on Easter Sunday before we had a big Easter egg hunt =)

Rules of the Tag:
1. Open your 1st Photo folder.
2. Scroll to the 10th photo.
3. Post the photo and the story behind it.
4. Tag 5 or more people.


I tag:
BabyD
Susie
Amy
Brow Raised Beauty
Heather


Have fun with it! =)

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Beautiful Blogger Award

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Brooke at Babbling Brooke tagged me for the Beautiful Blogger Award, along with some other wonderful bloggers out there. Thanks, Brooke :) You should definitely go check out Brooke's blog for some gorgeous KONAD designs and tips... She's one of the best!



This is really exciting for me, because I've only been doing this for a little less than two months and still very green, but I enjoy it and it's a very fun hobby! I'm meeting lots of fellow makeup, nail, fashion, etc. gurus like myself! Part of being tagged for the Beautiful Blogger Award is to list 7 facts about yourself. So - here goes!

1. I was heavy into ballet dancing for about eight years, but stopped before I hit my teens.

2. I grew up wanting to be a writer, but when my dog died from cancer in 2008 I decided I would follow that dream lots of little girls have when they're growing up and become a veterinarian. I started volunteering and working at an animal hospital, but once I took the first round of science classes I knew this was not for me. It didn't make me happy like I thought and I was crying/stressed to the max. So, now I am back on the path to becoming a writer and could not be happier!! Best time of my life!

3. I can cross one eye in toward my nose and move the other eye around - freaky, but true hehe

4. My parents have owned their own business for 25 years and I have worked there practically since birth. It's not always easy working with family, but we make it fun and it's the best job to have while I'm still in college. Love it and them.

5. I was a child model for about five minutes - I participated in a children's clothing fashion show at a Parisians store way back in the day.

6. I want to live abroad one day and travel from place to place - perhaps living in a city for a month before traveling on to the next

7. I'm one of the biggest classic movie junkies you will ever meet! I LOVE old movies, especially black and whites from the 1940's. I love them all! That's a lot of what I watch on a regular basis. I love Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Humphrey Bogart... on and on. ♥

Part of this lovely tag is that I am to tag some other beautiful bloggers... and my tag choices are...

Laura at Lollipop26 - She was, I think, one of the first people on YouTube I watched that inspired me to start making my own videos... She comes across as very relatable and not at all pretentious - I love reading her blog!

Janice at Swtest2Lips - She has a lovely blog full of makeup experiments, reviews, and of course, lots of beautiful KONAD designs!

BabyD at Polish and Powder - She's a newbie like me, but has some beautiful KONAD designs and makeup posts!

COACH Purse for Sale

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Okay - I'm not going to make a habit of this, mainly because I don't have any other Coach purses I'm planning on parting with anytime soon :-P I have a Coach Small Soho Signature Flap for sale... It's not listed on eBay right now, because I wanted to see if I could just sell it privately. If no one I know or on here wants it, that's probably going to be next. I bought it at Dillard's about two years ago and just haven't carried it that much. It's a beautiful, classic purse and would be good for someone who is new to Coach. I would like $150 for it, but I am willing to haggle, so to speak ;-) Anyway - feel free to pass this information around... I would like her to go to a loving home :-) She's in mint condition with no stains, rips, holes, etc.

Front view:


Small scuff on the flap: - barely noticeable in real life though


Small nick on the backside of the strap:


Back view: This picture makes her look dirty, but it's the stitching and how it reflects to the camera


Inside:


And, most importantly, the creed:


Let me know if you would like to see any more!

Argyle Dreams

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After my last KONAD design, I wanted to try something lighter. I polished my nails with Essie's Mint Candy Apple - I am LOVING this color! It's such a milky, mint green/pale blue - it's gorgeous. I've been wanting to try the argyle pattern on plate m60 with the KONAD special white polish. It was definitely one of the more challenging designs because the polish doesn't seem to completely coat each diamond, thus leaving some of them lighter than others. I would be cautious if you decided to scrape the design more than once, because this can drag the polish from the filled in diamonds to the diamonds that are supposed to be empty. Try to do one, even scrape - then scrape.

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Monday, January 4, 2010

EOTD and KONAD mani/pedi

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Eye of the Day:
Bare Escentuals Nude Beach from lid to brow bone
Bare Escentuals Downtown on lid
Bare Escentuals Twig in crease

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KONAD Mani with OPI's Bubble Bath as the base and KONAD special black polish. I am really not a fan of the black - it stains, it's messy, and it smears with my regular top coat... ah well...

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KONAD Zebra Pedicure - How To video up on YouTube

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Saturday, January 2, 2010

It's 2010!!

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I hope everyone had a lovely New Years Eve and day! I had a big party I was planning on attending, but I started feeling yucky so I decided to put on sweats, put my hair into a ponytail, and hang out with my fam. However - I did put some of that Sally's platinum glitter in my hair to make myself feel somewhat festive!

I've put up several new videos over the past week, so check 'em out! One of my most recent is a review about Flirt! Cosmetics lipsticks... I just happened upon these when I was shopping in Kohls one day. Here are the pictures from the review...

Cherub:
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Angel:
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Are they perfect? No. But, I really do like them a lot and they satisfy my want for a nudey color alongside my NARS Greek Holiday until I find something better.

I did an experiment that I documented in my latest YouTube video that tests out the difference between using regular nail polish to use as a stamping color with the KONAD system, versus the KONAD special polish. I used the regular brand that is most often recommended as a substitute, which is Sally Hansen's XTreme black and white colors.

Before - Sally Hansen Xtreme Black Out and Sally
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Sally Hansen Xtreme White Out as a base with the KONAD special black stamping polish on the left and the Sally Hansen Xtreme Black Out on the right...

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Sally Hansen Xtreme Black Out as a base with the KONAD special white stamping polish on the left and the Sally Hansen Xtreme White Out on the right...

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Then, I used OPI for Sephora nail polish in Metro Chic with China Glaze's Matte Magic:

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Love it!